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Hope After Hoarding: How Families Can Move Forward

Posted on Oct 12, 2017 10:20am PDT

Hoarding is a clinically recognized, treatable mental health disorder. Much like
substance abuse, it affects the entire family—not just the hoarder.
Families of hoarders, especially children of hoarders, are more likely
to be socially maladjusted, to suffer acute injuries and chronic health
problems, and to experience severe familial strain. When it’s time
to intervene in hoarding behaviors, calling in bio-clean experts is actually
not the first step you should take. Biohazard specialists in Orlando will
take care of the home, but first, your loved one needs psychological care.

Avoiding Hoarding-Related Mistakes

One of the biggest mistakes families of hoarders make is trying to
clear out all of the clutter all at once, without the permission of the hoarder. This causes severe
emotional distress, won't treat the mental health disorder, and will
damage family relationships. Another common mistake is inadvertently enabling
hoarding behavior. Don’t offer to store some items at your home
or help move items to a storage unit—it will only worsen the problem.
Don’t invite the hoarder to shop with you, and don’t buy tangible
items for birthdays and holidays. Instead, give experiences, like restaurant
gift cards (not gift cards to retail stores) or a gift certificate for
a pedicure.

Getting Help for Hoarding

It isn’t possible to force someone to see a mental health counselor.
However, you can visit one yourself. Discuss the problem and ask for solutions.
The hoarder may be willing to briefly meet with the counselor outside
the home, but it can take a while to build a trusting relationship between
the counselor and the hoarder.

Starting the Cleaning Process

The homes of longtime hoarders are typically health hazards. Don’t
try to clean it yourself, as you can be exposed to the following:

Toxic mold

Animal waste

Rodent/cockroach infestations

Structurally unsafe floors

Trip and fall injuries

Instead, hire a biohazard cleaning company that can get the job done safely.
Depending on your loved one’s progress with the treatment, you might
need to have the cleaners work on just one room at a time. One massive
clean-out might be too much emotional distress for your loved one to handle.
Ask the mental health specialist for guidance on the best way to schedule
the cleanup to minimize stress for your loved one.